Good Housekeeping Research Institute Interns

Here at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI), we always have a team of interns on board. At any given moment our college students can be doing anything from filing to fact checking to fielding calls from readers. Often, they help us research and conduct product tests and if you read our blog regularly, you know that they write lively guest blog posts. We find their support invaluable and their youthful enthusiasm invigorating. As the summer ends, one group of interns is returning to school and a new one is just beginning. We thought you might enjoy hearing what members of the outgoing "class" have to say about their experiences working at GHRI. Here, in their own words...

It's a beautiful dynamic at Good Housekeeping, where science and editorial work hand in hand to bring consumers information that is credible, reliable, and well-written. Being an intern at GHRI called for much more than going on the usual coffee run or making endless photocopies. Whether it was running around Manhattan trying to locate a gadget or lugging 36 power strips, 39 light bulb socket adapters, and half a dozen light bulbs across town, a day at GHRI definitely didn't feel like a "day at the office". What was my most memorable experience at the Institute? Hands down, bar none, testing for this year's annual Toy Awards.

Candice Reeves, Senior, State University of New York at Geneseo, Kitchen Appliances & Technology Lab: My internship at GHRI gave me a wealth of knowledge that university-level classes could have never taught me about the ins and outs of working in a professional setting. Having to make deadlines on critical tasks and knowing other people were relying on me for results gave me a sense of responsibility and importance. More than anything, working at GHRI gave me confidence, and showed me I was capable of walking into an office and performing to the best of my ability and contributing to a team. While I once felt shy and timid about my research and writing skills, now I'm proud, confident, and assured that I have the ability to excel in a professional setting-whether it be working with the fun and lively team at GHRI or in a completely different field!

Marymount College, New York City, Consumer Electronics & Engineering Lab: During my time as an intern, the CEE Lab conducted tests on cars, headphones, cameras, toys, laptops, and tablets. Completing the extensive research process from start to finish entailed collecting data, conducting scientific tests, taking part in consumer evaluations, and weighing the results (and yes, it is as much work as it seems)! Taking part in this process not only sparked my interest in science, but taught me how knowledgeable Good Housekeeping is when recommending products. Nothing compared to toy testing, when kids from 3 to12 flooded the lab-turned-playroom and brought the babysitter in me back to life. No question about it: Testing can get exhausting! But the people at GHRI sparked in me a constant desire to work hard because the work was always practical and I was always appreciated. From brains to blogs, product testing to press events, my experience at GHRI has been the next best thing since boot-shaped chicken nuggets.

Katie Andrews, Masters in Nutrition Communication Candidate, Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Boston Massachusetts, Nutrition Lab: Interning at GHRI kept me engaged and challenged and helped me to recognize how Good Housekeeping sets itself apart from other magazines. The level of research and testing done at the labs is impressive and I appreciated the chance to watch stories develop from pitch ideas to triple+ tested products, recipes, or foods. In the Nutrition Lab, I was given tasks that ranged from fact-checking stories to writing blog posts and running large-scale taste tests that may translate into multi-page stories. Samantha Cassetty, the Nutrition Director, ensured that I was learning something about the lab and the magazine with each assignment. She kept me busy with jobs with increasing responsibility and took the time to act as a responsive mentor, always answering questions and including me in every step possible of the story process.

Wow! We're blushing. Does an internship at GHRI sound like something you or someone you know might be interested in? Cover letters and resumes can be sent to my attention at sfranke@hearst.com.